Wrapping-machine.



H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION run an a. 1907.

9 1 8, 642. Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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WRAPPING MACHINE.

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Patented Apr. 20, 1909,

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION nun In a. 1001.

91 8,642. Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG. WRAPPING MACHINE.

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE APPLIUAIIOH FILED MAY 3, 1907. 91 8,642. Patented Apr. 20, 1909;

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WRAPPING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED MAY 3, 1907.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1907. 91 8,642. Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG. WRAPPING monms.

AYPLIOATIOH FILED HA1 3. 190']. Patented Apr 1D SHEETS-SHEET 8.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

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H. Y. ARMSTRONG. WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION mum MAY :1. 1907.

Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

10 SHEETS-SHEET 10 lave/Q57? JfcvwyyJr/HJWU UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY YARRINGTON ARMSTRONG, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS.

WRAPPING-M ACHINE To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY Y. ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vrapping Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in wrapping machines of the general type shown in my two prior applications for United States Letters Patent, one filed March 21st, 1906, Serial No. 307,240, and the other filed December 6th, 1906, Serial No. 346,534.

The machine herein shown is designed and proportioned for wrapping elongated tablets or sticks of gum, confections or the like, but may of course be proportioned for wrapping square tablets for which the machines shown in the prior applications have been specially designed.

The objects of the invention are to improve and simplify wrapping machines of this general type, and a further object of the invention is to improve the mechanism for assembling the gums in groups of prescribed numbers and to thereafter apply a band about the group to properly confine the sticks or tablets constituting the group.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a plan view of a wrapping machine embodying my invention. Fig. 1 is a detail as seen from the line 1-1 on Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a side View of the principal parts of the machine on an enlarged scale. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the parts of the machine shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4l4. of Fig. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 8. Fig. 6 is a detail section of the same parts, showing them in changed positions. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged detail showing the manner of bringing the gum into position for action by the folding devices. Fig. 8 illus trates a part constituting the rear wall of the slot in which the gums are contained while the end folds are being made. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section, taken on line 9-9 of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1907.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 371,622.

Fig. 2. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on a plane below that of the section shown in Fig. 9, illustrating the mechanism for assembling the gums into groups after they have been wrapped. Fig. ll is a perspective view of a swinging device provided with fingers which constitute one side wall of the receiv ing chamber into which the gums are delivered after they have been completely wrapped, said device being arranged to swing downwardly to permit the gums to pass laterally out of the receiving chamber to the assembling chamber. Fig. 12 is a perspective view, detached, of a pusher for transferring the gums from the receiving to the assembling chamber to assemble the gums in groups, and operating thereafter to transfer the groups from the assembling chamber to the mechanism for applying the confining band about the groups. Fig. 13 is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on line l3l3 of Fig. 3. Fig. 14: is a perspective view of the mechanism for receiving and holding a. group of gums while a con fining band is being applied thereto. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a folding device which aids to fold the confining band about the group of gums. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a swinging arm for raising and lowering the ocket which receives and holds the groups of gums while the confining band is being applied thereto. Fig. 17 is a side view of the essential parts of the mechanism for receiving and holding a group of gums and the mechanism for applying the confining band thereto. Fig. 18 is a like view of said parts, showing a group of gums in the pocket in which they are held while the band is applied thereto. Figs. 19 and 20 illustrate said parts in two subsequent positions which they occupy during the operation of wrapping the band about the group of gums and disposing of the wrapped group. Fig. 21 is a View illustrating the cam mechanism for giving movement to the mechanism for applying the band to a group of gums and for actuating the band fastening mechanism. Fig. 22 is a view illustrating the cam mechanism for giving movement to the pusher which assembles the gums into groups and by which the groups are transferred to the band applying mechanism. Fig. 23 is a section taken on line 2323 of Fig. 2. Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the paste-pot and one side of the discharge chute of the banding mechanism.

Fig. 25 is a section taken on line 25-25 of Fig. 26. Fig. 2G is a section taken on line 2(' 2(1 of Fig. 25. Figs. 27, 28 and 2t) illus tratc the manner of wrapping a stick of gum. Fig. 30 illustrates the manner in which the band is folded about a group of gums. Fig. 31 is a perspective view of a completed group of gums with the band thereon.

As shown in the drawings, 40 designates the upper end of the base or support of the machine and 41 designates a generally hori zontal frame-plate which supports the parts of the machine above it. The said frameplate is of such contour as to properly sup port and afford bearings for the operative parts of the machine. Among the more prominent configurations of the frame plate may be noted two vertical members 42, 43 rising therefrom, one at each side and supporting bearings for various horizontal shafts of the machine and the brackets 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 extending laterally from the left-hand vertical frame plate 42 for supporting parts of the mechanism hereinafter to be described.

The mechanisms for feeding the gums to the Wrapping mechanism, for delivering the wrappers into the path of the gums and for effecting the side folds of the gums and for the gums are generally similar to the construction shown in my aforesaid prior applications for United States Letters Patent filcd 011 the 6th day of December, 1906, Serial No. 346,534, and only need to be generally re ferred to.

50 designates a vertical hopper which receives the gums and from the bottom of which they are fed to the wrapping mechanism. Said hopper is supported on the bracket 48 over a feed chute through which reciprocates a horizontal feed bar 52 that delivers the gums from the bottom of the stack in the hopper to the wrapping mechanism. Said eed bar is reciprocated through the agency of a horizontal rock-shaft 53, at the forward end of the machine, having bearings in the side frame plates 42, 43 and an arm 54 aflixed to said rock-shaft and operatively connected at its upper end to said slide or bar (Figs. 1, 2 and The operative connections in this instance comprises links 55, 55 hinged to the upper end of said arm and to laterally extending lugs of a slidin block 56 that is fixed to the rear end of said feed bar. Said block 56 is aided in its movement by means of a. horizontal guide-bar 57 which extends through a guide opening in the block and is fastened to the machine in the manner shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A platform 58 is supported over said guide rod and block upon which the gums may be placed preparatory to placing them in the hopper 50. The rock-shaft 53 is rocked in its bearings through the medium of. a pitman or link (30 (Fig. I) connected at one end with an arm (31 rigid with the rock-shaft and at its other end with an eccentrically located pin (32 carried by a rotative wheel or disk (33 fixed on the end of a relative shaft 64 extending transversely across the machine and mounted in the side plates 42, 43 of the frame plate. The said wheel 63 is fashioned to receive a driving belt through which driving power is communicated to the machine.

The machine shown is designed for wrapping a single wrapper about the gums. The wrappers are contained in a horizontal magazine 65 (Figs. 2 and 3) from the forward or inner end of which the wrappers are fed in the same general manner as in my two prior machines before referred to. Said magazine is pivotally mounted 011 a stud G6 fixed to the adjacent vertical plate 42 of the main frame, and is locked thereon by means of a handle 67. The wrappers are delivered one by one from the inner end of the group of wrappers in the magazine by means of a stripper roller 68 into a vertical wrapper receiving recess 69 located immediately below the inner end of said group of wrappers (Fi The said recess is formed in a thic rened portion or head 70 at the rear end of the bracket 48. Said head 70 is located below and separated a distance from the rear end of the magazine by a horizontal space constituting a continuation of the feed slot through which the gums are delivered from the hopper 50 to the wrapping mechanism. The wrappers are fed into the wrapper recess 69 by the stripper roller and across the path of the advancing gums, and the first fold of each wrapper about the advance side of a gum takes place as the gum and wrapper are forced by the feed bar into the portion of the feed slot between the head 70 and the lower wall of the magazine. Each gum with one side fold of the wrapper thus effected about the advance side thereof is delivered between gripping jaws 75, 76 carried by the upper end of a vertically swinging folder arm 77. The said arm is affixed to a rock-shaft 78, (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) that extends transversely across the frame-plate of the machine and is rotatively mounted in the vertical frame members 42 and 43. Said shaft is rocked in its bearing to swing the upper end of the arm, carrying the jaws 75, 76, rearwardly toward a curved surface 79 of the head 70 and it is between said jaws and the upper part of said curved surface that the second side fold of the wrapper about the gum is effected in the same general manner as illustrated in my prior applica tion, Serial No. 346,584 hereinbefore referred to. The rock-shaft 78 is actuated from the rock-shaft 53, before referred to, through the medium of a pitman or connecting rod 80 (Fig. 1) hinged at its rear end to an arm 81 rigid with said rocleshaft 53 and at its forward end to a two-part arm 82 fixed to the adjacent end of the rock-shaft 78. The gripping jaw of the folder arm 77 is sta tionary while the gripping jaw 76 is hinged to move toward and away therefrom on a hinge pin carried by the upper end of the arm. A spiral contractile spring 86 is attaehed at one end to a pin 87, fixed to the swinging jaw and at its other end to a pin 88 fixed to the lower end or hub of the folder arm, serves to hold the swinging jaw normally closed and to lightly grip a gum and wrapper between the upper and lower aws as the folding arm is swung forwardly.

The swinging or folding jaw 77, in addition to folding the second side of the wrapper about the gum as it swin s downwardly toward and past the curved folding surface 79, delivers the partially wrapped gum to a second folding slot 89 as in the construction of the machine shown in my aforesaid prior application No. 346,534. The swin ing jaw 76 is designed to be opened to re ease the gum, at the time the folding arm is in position to deliver a gum to the second folding slot 89 referred to by means of a stationary cam 90 formed on the upper end of the standard 91 rising from the bracket 47 of the frame plate (Figs. 2 and 3), and is adapted to engage a pin 92 carried by said swinging aw and depending therefrom. Said cam arm 90 is equipped with a roller 93 which engages said pin to minimize the friction between the parts. Said swinging folding arm is of two-part shank construction, as is indicated by a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3, and the tripping cam 90 is located in a plane between the two shanks of the arm so as to pass between said shank members when the arm is swung downwardly. The folder arm 77 delivers the gums at the lower limit of its swing into the second vertical slot 89, before referred to, in which the partially wrapped gum is held while the end folds of the wrapper are being made. The said slot is open at its top to receive the partially wrapped gums (Fig. 3) and is alsoopen at its bottom to permit the wrapped gums to be discharged therefrom by pressure of the next following gums, as also shown in Fig. 3. The said slot is also open at its sides (Figs. 5 and 6) and the unfolded end flaps of the wrappers project therethrough, as shown in Fig. 5. The slot is formed between vertical front and rear walls 96, 97, respectively. The rear wall coinprises a thin plate that is attached to the forward side of a member 98 (Figs. 2 to 6 and 8) mounted on an elevated part of the bracket 47 and secured thereto by means of screws 99. The rear wall plate 97 is attached by screws 100 to a forwardly extendin vertical part 10-2 on said member 98. It wi 1 be observed that the said wall plate 97 extends at its ends beyond the vertical memher 102 to which it is attached. The front wall 96 of the second folding slot 89 comprises a thin oblong, rectangular plate attached to the lower side of a swinging support 105 that hinged to the lower end of the head 70 by means of a horizontal hinge pin 10G (Figs, 55. t and 23) that extends through overlapping lugs on said support and block. The front face of the swinging support constitutes, in effect, a continuation of the curved surface 79 of the head 70. The member 98 which carries the front wall of the slot 89 is formed at its rear end to provide upwardly extending fingers 107, shown best in Figs. 4', 7 and 8, the presence of which facilitates the entrance of a partially wrapped gum to the second folding slot 89.

Means are provided for preliminarily creasing the end folds of the wrappers at their bases as the partially wrapped gums are delivered to the second folding slot 95. This result is effected by the following construction: The rear wall plate 97 of said slot 89 is formed at its ends to constitute forwardly extending curved parts 110, shown best in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. Located in front of said curved ends of the rear wall plate and disposed at right angles to said wall plate are two creasing blades 111, 111 which are attached to the front wall plate of the slot by angle pieces 112, 112. The rear vertical margins of said crimping )lates are convexly curved, as shown in Fig. and are located substantially in alinement with the rearwardly directed ends of the rear wall of the slot. The central part of said convex and curved ends of the crimping plates approach closely said forwardly curved parts of the rear wall plate of the slot. \Vhen the partially wrap ed gums are forced into the slot, the end olds a a of the wrappers pass through the spaces between said crimping plates and the forwardly curved ends of the front wall plate of the slot, thereby subjecting the bases of the folds to the pressure that acts to crimp the same. By reason of the convex curvature of the margins of the crimping plates 111, the crimping will be more effective at the central parts of the bases of said end folds of the wrappers, a condition which facilitates the proper folding thereof.

Referring now to the mechanism for folding the end folds of the wrapper about the side faces thereof to complete the folding operation, said mechanism involves novel features of construction which are made as follows: 115, 115 designate two vertically swinging arms (Figs. 2, 3, 5, 6 and 23) which are fixed to and extend downwardly from a rock-shaft 116 that is mounted to rock in the head 70. The lower ends of said folding arm are located one at each end of the lower folding slot, as more clearly shown in Figs. 5 and t). and said lower ends of the folding arms carry horizontally swinging folders 117. 117. The manner of connecting said folders to the folder arms comprise laterally extending lugs 118, 118 on the lower ends of the folding arms 117, 117 which enter suitably shaped sockets in the forward ends of said folders and are hinged thereto by hinge pins 118* extending through the folders and lugs. The folders each conipriscs essentially a flat, vertical face 119 and an oppositely curved guide face 120. Said tlat vertical face of each folder engages the lateral face of the adjacent crimper plate 111 and moves backwardly and forwardly over said lateral face of the The curved guide faces 120 of each folder is adapted to engage a suitably located stationary guide for properly guiding the folder in its movement. As herein shown, said folder assumes the form of solid metal or other suitable material block having the general contour of a triangle in cross-section. two sides of which constitute the lateral flat face 119 and curved guide face 120. The socket which receives the hinge lug 118 opens on the forward face of the block, as more clearly indicated in Fig. 6, so that the folder may swing from its normal position, wherein the fiat side 119 thereof is at right angles to the hinge lug, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7,, to a position wherein said flat side of the folder is parallel with said lug as shown in Fig. 6. Stationary guides are located in rear of the folders to engage said curved guide surfaces of the folders for the purpose of swinging them inwardly at the proper time into the positions which they are shown to occupy in Fig. 6, so as to fold the end flaps of the wrapper inwardly. are formed on the forward ends of vertical plates or bars 121, 121 (Figs. 2, 5 and 6) which are located just in rear of the crimping plates outside the vertical planes of the side faces of the crimping plates. Thus when the folders are advanced from the position indicated in Fig. 5 toward said guide plates 121 to fold the end folds a of the wrapper, said end folds are folded at right angles to the l body of the wrapper by the straight movement of the folders as they are moved rearwardly. In the further movement of the folders, the advance ends of the curved surface 120 thereof strike the guide plates 121, thereby swinging said folders inwardly against the rear face of the rear wall of the folding slot. as indicated in Fig. 6. This movement of the folders carries the end folds o of the wrapper against the rear face of said rear wall of the folding slot and com pletes the wrapping of the gum. The fold- 01's are thereafter retracted by a movement reverse of that just described. Before the retractive movement of the folders and while crim per plate. 1

Said guides and in a vertical plane slightly j against the rear face of the rear wall of the slot. the folded gum is discharged from the slot, through the medium of the pressure of the gums which follow, into a receiving chamber below, thereby preventing the end folds or flaps from springing outwardly when the folders are retracted. The said gums are discharged. from the second folding slot into a vertically alined slot 125 of a turn-table, designateijl as a whole by 126, rotatively mounted beneath said second folding slot. Said turn-table comprises, as herein shown, a ring having an integral part or bar 127 extending diametrically thereacross, in which bar is formed the slot 125 which the wrapped gums are discharged from the second folding slot to the receiving chamber referred to. The said turn-table is rotatively mounted in an elevated part of the bracket 47 and 15 held in place by means I of a plate 128 attached by screws 129 to said bracket and having a central opening, as 3 shown in Fig. 9. The purpose of said turnt table is to turn one of the gums of each 1 gron p as said gum is passing therethrough in order that the first and last gums of each l y the end folds of the wrapper are still held group shall face with their plain sides outwardly. The said folding arms 115 normally occupy the position shown in Figs. 2

and 3, with the folders disposed in the position indicated in Fig. 7, and the folding operation takes place during the rearward swing of the folding arms effected by mechanism now to be described, after which the J folders return to their normal positions. The mechanism for rocking the folding arm shaft 116 for effecting these operations is shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and l, and is I made as follows: The inner end of said l shaft 116 is provided with a rigid arm 130 i that extends upwardly therefrom and cari ries at its upper end a laterally extending roller 131, designed for engagement by a cam 132 fixed to the shaft 64, before referred l to. The shape of the cam is such that it positively holds the folder arms in their retracted positions during the proper period t of rotation of the shaft 6-1, and the folding arms are advanced to carry the folders into their operative positions through the medium of a spring 133 attached at one end to the said crank arm 130 near the upper end thereof and extends forwardly and attached at its forward end to a stationary part of the machine frame, as shown at 134 In Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the folders are l advanced to their positions of operation by y spring pressure of such strength as to perform the work designed, but upon occasion t of clogging of the parts there will be no i danger of the parts being broken.

The support 105 for the front Wall of the second folding slot is yieldingly and swingingly mounted in order to permit sa1d front through wall and the parts carried thereby to be swung forwardly so as to admit of the slot being cleaned of any material that tends to clog the same. The means for thus monnting the support and the rear wall of the slot is made as follows: The said support is provided adjacent to its hinge with a for wardly extending arm 150 provided with a vertical aperture. 151 designates a rod that extends upwardly through the aperture of the arm and enters and has screw-threaded engagement at its upper end with an opening in the bracket 18 above the same. The said rod is provided at its lower end with a head 152 which engages the lower side of the apertured arm 150 to limit the rearward swing of the forward wall of the slot. Surrounding said rod and interposed between said arm 150 and a nut 153 having screwthreaded engagement with the upper end of the rod is a spiral, expansively acting spring 154 that bears against the arm to hold the same normally against the head 152 at the lower end of said rod. Said spring permits the rear wall of the folding slot to yield forwardly when required and to automatically return to normal position.

The machine thus far described, without the turn-table referred to, is complete and operative for wrapping the gums and discharging the same individually from the machine. The mechanism is so timed that when one gum is contained in the lower folding slot and the end flaps of the wrapper are being folded to their closed positions, another gum is contained in the upper or entering part of the slot between the arms 107 and the support 105. Immediately after the folders have done their work and before they are retracted, the folding arm 77 is swung downwardly to deliver another gum to the upper part of the slot. In so delivering another partially wrapped gum to the upper part of the slot, the entering partially wrapped gum forces the completely wrapped gum out of the slot by pressure applied through the intervening partially wrapped gum, or the end flaps of which are next to be folded.

In accordance with the operation of the present machine, which groups the gums and applies bands thereto, the gums are delivered separately and successively into a receiving chamber 156 below the turn table and between the same and the upper face of the bracket 46, and thence are grouped in an assembling chamber 157 located laterally at one side of the receiving chamber. Thereafter the group of gums are transferred to mechanism for applying a confining band thereto.

Referring now to the mechanism for operating the turn-table to turn one gum of each group end to end, as stated, and for thereafter assembling the gums into groups, said mechanism is made as follows: The periphery of the turn-table is provided with a segmental series of teeth 160, shown more clearly in Fig. 9, designed to be engaged by the teeth of a horizontal, endwise reciprocating rack-bar 1G1. Said rack-bar is guided in suitable bearings 162, 163 formed on the lateral bracket -17 and is reciprocated through the medium of a horizontally swinging lever 164 (Fig. 4) that is hinged to a pin 1155 rising from the horizontal frame plate 11 of the machine. Said lever is provided near its pivot with a short arm 16(] that has a vertical pin 1137 designed for engagement with a cam groove 168 (Fig. 1) of a wheel or disk 169 rotatively mounted on the rockshaft '78 of the folder arm 77. The said camwheel or disk 169 is driven from the shaft 04 through the medium of an annular gear 170 on said disk or wheel meshing with a pinion 171 mounted on the shaft (34. The free end of said lever 164 is curved or raised upwardly from the frame plate of the machine and said free end of the lever has pin and slot connection with the rack-bar 161. The gear connections between the disk 169 and the shaft (34 are so timed that the rackbar is reciprocated once during each period required to Wrap a prescribed number of gums, five as herein shown, so that in every group of gums one of the outer gums thereof is reversed. The wrapped gums are transferred from the receiving chamber 156 to the assembling space 157 through the medium of a reciprocating plunger 177 which reciprocates through the receiving chamber just after each wrapped gum is delivered thereto. At the time the wrapped gums are delivered to said receiving chamber the plunger occupies a position in rear of the plane of the slot of said turn table. Thereafter the plunger is forced forwardly to transfer the wrapped gums, while remaining edgewise, to the assembling space. In order to maintain the gums in an upri ht position on their edges during the assembling of a group of. gums in the assembling space 157, the gums are ressed against yielding abutments on the 51 e of the assembling space remote from the receiving chamber consisting, in this instance, of two horizontally movable, laterally separated, spring pressed rods 17 8, 178 (Figs. 3, 9 and 10). Said rods are mounted for endwise movement in suitable uides 17 9, 180, stationary with the machine rame. Said yielding rods engage at their rear ends the forwardmost gum of each group as it is being formed. The rods are pressed rearwardly by means of spiral contractile springs 181, 181 attached at their forward ends to the downturned end portions 182 of said rods and at their rear ends to stationary parts of the machine.

In order to maintain a forming grou of gums in the assembling space separate rom the gums that are dropped one by one into the receiving chamber, and also to maintain the separate gums in the receiving chamber on edge, a partition is provided between said receiving chamber and assembling space which is constructed to be lowered each time a wrapped gum is transferred from said receiving chamber to the assembling space. Said partition comprises, in the present instance, vertical fingers 18:3, 185 formed on the forward end of a horizontal, vertically swinging arm 186 (Figs. 2, 3 and 11) that is located below the bracket '16 with its fingers extending upwardly through openings in said bracket which constitutes the lower wall of the receiving chamber and assembling space, as stated. Said arm is operatively connected with mechanism for depressing or swinging the same downwardly to move the fingers out of the path of the plunger 1T7 at the time the gum is to be shifted from the receiving chamber to the assembling space, as will hereinafter be described. The said plunger 177, which is shown separated from the associated parts in Fig. 12, is provided with downwardly extending fingers or projections 188, 188 which ride upon the face of the bottom of said receiving chamber and assembling space. Said fingers are so disposed that in the retractive movement of the plunger or at the time said plunger is moved rearwardly past the vertical plane of the slot of the turn-table, the spaces between the fingers of said plunger pass over the upwardly directed partitions forming fingers 185, so that said plunger may be retracted without the necessity of depressing said partition fingers. Each time the said transfer plunger 177 retires or is retracted to its rearmost position, the gum or gums between the same and the yielding rods 178 are pressed rearwardly by said rods until they strike the partition fingers 185, and said gum or gums are held in their upright position between said spring-pressed rods and the partition fingers until another gum is delivered to the receiving space, at which latter time the partition fingers are depressed to permit the gum to pass from the receiving chamber to the assembling space. Thus it will be seen that at all times the ums in the receiving space are maintained in an upright position under the influence of the spring-pressed rods 178. In the event that the prescribed number constituting the group of gums is five, the plunger is operatively connected with mechanism which reciprocates the same in such manner as to impart to said plunger four uniform strokes to deliver four wrapped gums from the receiving chamber to the assembling space and the fifth stroke is of sufiicient length to deliver the entire group of gums from the assembling space to the mechanism which applies the band about the same, as will now be described. The said transfer plunger 17? is provided with a. shank 190 that engages suitable guides 191, 191 underneath the bracket 47 (Figs. 2, 3 and 10). Extending laterally from the outer end of said plunger shank is a. rigid arm or stud 192. 193 designates a link or connecting rod that is hinged at its rear end to said stud 192 and at its forward end is hinged to the upper end of a vertically swinging arm 19-t, which latter is fixed at its lower end to a rock-shaft 195 disposed transversely of the machine frame and having suitable bearing therein. Atlixed to the inner end of said shaft is a short crank-arm 19G (Figs. 13 and 22). Hinged to the end of said short crank-arm is a reciprocating 'am actuated link 19? that is provided at its upper end with an elongated slot through which extends a rotative shaft 198 that extends across the machine frame and is mounted in the side plates 12 and 43 (Fig. 1). The said shaft 198 is rotated from the shaft 61 through the medium of a gear pinion 199 on the latter shaft and an intermeshing gear wheel 200 on the shaft. 198. Fixed to the said shaft at the side of the lever is an actuating cam 199 that is provided with a closed cam groove 201 which is engaged by a roller bearing stud 202 carried by said operating bar or rod 197. It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 22 that the cam groove 201 is divided into five parts 0 c c c: and c. The movement imparted to the plunger as the roller stud 202 passes through the parts 0 of the cam groove is only sufiicient to move the transfer plunger from the receiving chamber to the assembling space to assemble the gums into groups. Vhile the said roller stud, however, passes through the deeper portion 0 of said cam the plunger not only transfers the last gum of the group to the assembling chamber, but transfers the entire group to the mechanism for applying the band to the group of gums.

Referring now to the manner of swinging said arm 186 on its pivot for withdrawing the partition fingers 18:") below the level of the floors of the receiving chamber and assembling space for the purpose stated, said parts are more clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 10 and 23 and are made as follows: The said swinging frame 186 is provided at its rear end with sleeves 205 (Fig. 11) through which extends a rock-shaft 206 and upon which rock-shaft said arm is affixed by screws 207 (Figs. 3 and 10). Said frame is normally held in its uppermost position with the partition fingers 185 extendin in the path of the transfer of the gums from the receiving chamber to the assembling space by means of a volute spring 208 encirclin said rock-shaft 206 and fastened at one end to a not 209 fixed at one end to the outer end of said shaft and at its other end to a stationary part of the machine. A stop-block 210 (Figs. 2 and 3) carried by said arm limits the upward movement thereof. The arm is swung downwardly about said rocle shaft as a pivot by means of an arm 212 fixed to the rock-shaft 78 which carries and actuates the folder arm 77. The said arm 212 extends forwardly and downwardly from said rock-shaft and carries at its forward end a sprii'ig-restrained pawl 213 which extends forwardly beyond said arm (Fig. 2), and is hinged to the forward end of the arm by a pin 214. A spiral contractile spring 215, attached at one end to a downwardly directed tail-piece 216 of said arm and at its other end to said pawl 9.13, serves to hold said pawl downwardly against a shoulder 217 formed on the inner side of said arm. Attached to the rock-shaft 206 carrying said partition finger arm is a radial arm 220 provided with a projection 221 that is adapted to be engaged by said pawl 213 during the time the folding arm 77 is swung downwardly and during which time, therefore, the tripping arm 212 is swung downwardly. The spring 215 permits said pawl to yield backwardly when it strikes the projection 221 of said rock-shaft arm 220 so that said pawl at this time passes behind or in rear of said arm 220 without actuating the same. Upon the return movement of the folder arm and the arm 212 movable therewith, the pawl strikes the rear face of the projection 221 and, inasmuch as said pawl cannot yield in this direction, by reason of its abutment against the shoulder 21?, the said arm 220 isthus swung forwardly, with the result of swinging the partition fingers downwardly for the purpose set forth. After the arm 220 has been swung forwardly a distance to bring the partition lingers below the level of the receiving chamber, it has swung a sutficient distance to permit the pawl to pass the same, whereby the spring 208 returns the parts actuated thereby.

Referring now to the mechanism for applying the band I) to the groups of gums and or pasting the said band about the gums, said parts are shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 3, 14 and 21, both inclusive, and 23 to 26, both inclusive, and is made as follows: The mechanism herein shown for applying the eonfinim band to the group of gums thus arranger and delivered to the band applying mechanism, embraces in general terms means for feeding the band across the path of group of gums, a pocket adapted to receive the group and into which the roup and the middle part of the band is fhrced by the plunger 177 in a manner to wrap the band about the front and top and bottom sides of the group, and means for thereafter folding the ends of the band in overlapping relation upon the rear side of the group and applying paste to one end of the band to hold the band in place. I have herein shown a convenient mechanism for effecting the foregoing operation, although it will be understood that the essential feature of the operation may be elfected by other mechanism than that herein shown. As a further special improvement in this feature of the mechanism, an elongated chute is provided through which the groups of gums are discharged after the band. has been applied thereto, arranged to hold the groups under pressure for a time until the paste sets or partially dries.

Referring now in detail to the band ap plying mechanism, 230 designates, as a whole, a horizontal magazine which eontains in fiat form the blanks constituting the wrap 'iers, said wrappers being arranged on end and pressed flat together. The magazine is open at its rear end and the wrappers are stripped one by one from the rear end of the series of wrappers by means of a stripping roller 231 of any convenient or suitable form. They are held confined between said roller and a follower 232 at the forward end of the magazine which may be spring or weight-pressed against the bands as desired. The said stripper roller 231 is operated from the shaft 198 (Figs. 2 and -ll through the medium of a gear 235 on the shaft 198, a gear wheel 236 on the shaft of the stripper roller and an intermediate gear wheel 237 meshing with said gear wheel. A rotating needle 238 is applied to the forwardmost bands of the groups at the upper sides thereof, as shown in Figs 2 and 3, which penetrate the first few bands in order to prevent more than one band being stripped from the bundle or group at a time, in the same general manner as illustrated in my aforesaid prior application, Serial No. 346,534. Said rotative needle is supported in a suitable bearing 239 mounted on the rear end of the wrapper magazine and is operated from the gear wheel 237 through the medium of a gear wheel 24:0 in the same general manner as in the construction shown in my aforesaid prior application, Serial No. 346,534. The bands are directed by the stripper roller 231 from the magazine through a suitable guide 242 that is attached to the forward end of the elevated part of the bracket 47 which serves as a bearing for the turn-table (Figs. 9, 17, 18, 19 and 20). The bracket 46 which constitutes the floor of the receiving chamber and assembling space is provided in line with the rear end of the band magazine with an opening 243 through which the bands stripped from the group in the magazine fall until arrested by a suitable support beneath said ledge or bracket. As herein shown, the said support which arrests the bands consists of an upwardly facing part Qlt of the. casing of a glue-pot ii -l5, the con slruetion and use of which will be hereinafter explained. The assembling space, formed between the turn-table and its bearing bracket 4-7 and the lower bracket in, terminates just beneath the rear end of the band magazine. Just in front of the fonrard end of said assembling space is located, what I have denominated, a pocket made of a suitable shape to receive and hold the groups of gums delivered thereto by the plunger 177 while the bands are applied to said groups. The said pocket comprises, in general terms, a. top member 250 (Figs. 17 to 20), a bottom member 251, and a front member The said pocket is opened at. its rear end in line with said assembling space when occupyinp its upper or receiving position. The pocket thus formed is carried by the upper end of a vertically movable frame or standard 253 that has guiding engagement with a vertical guidoway in the bracket 45 and is free to rise and fall therein. Said pocket standard or frame is held frietionally in different vertical positions in said guide opening by means of a spring 2%, (his. 17 and 18) that is fixed to the bracket to and is curved rearwardly for engagement with the rear face of said shank. The pocket is made of less lateral width than the length of the gums and is open at its lateral sides to permit the group of gums to extend laterally beyond the same, as will be clear from an inspection of Fig. 14.

The upper end of the pocket frame or standard is formed to provide a yoke 25!") having a horizontal slot that is adapted for engagement by a laterally projecting stud. 56 of a vertically swinging arm 25? that is fixed to and extends rearwardly from a horizontal rock-shaft 258 that has bearing in the frame of the machine vertically above the rock-shaft 19F (Figs. 2 and 1? to 19, both inclusive). The swinging of said lever vertically operates to raise and lower the pocket frame and the pocket carried thereby. The lower wall 251 of said pocket. is constructed and arranged to swing downwardly at its rear end, as shown in Fig. 20, to permit the pocket to rise from a lower position to its upper position while leaving the group of gums carried downwardly thereby in a prior descent in the discharge chute 258, located immediately below said pocket. For this purpose, said lower wall comprises a plate having lateral lugs 259 forwardly past the sides of the pocket frame standard 253 and pivoted thereto through the medium of a pivot pin 260. The said swinging lower wall is held normally in its uppermost or horizontal position by means of a spiral contractile s ring 261 attached at its rear end to one 0 said lugs 259 of said lower wall and at its forward end to an arm or projection 2633 extending forwardly and. downwardly from the yoke. The forward wall 252 of the pocket is provided with. a yielding backing plate can with which the group of gums have direct contact when forced into the pocket, thereby avoiding breakage of said gums due to the pressure of the transfer plunger 1T7. Said plate QG-l is mounted. on the rear end of the short stem 265 that ex tends forwardly through a suitable guide opening in the pocket frame or standard, and said stem is provided in front of said standard with a cross-pin 260 which constitutes a stop to limit the rearward movement of the plate. Spiral expansively actinn" springs 2t)? interposed between the plate and the standard of the pocket holds said plate yieldingly in its forwardmost position. The said plate 264 constitutes also a resilient means against which the middle portions of the bands are compressed when forced into the pocket 01' recess by the gums, thereby holding the bands fixed relatively to the gums during the folding of the bands about the gums of the groups, and while the ends of the bands are being folded one on the other to paste them together by the means provided therefor. The said chute 258 is made of such length as to hold the groups of gums and the encircling bands ctnnpressed for a sufficient time, while the said groups are progressing therethrough, to permit the paste on the bands to set, as before stated. Said chute is formed between a plain vertically, elongated surface 271 of the bracket 45 of the frame and a parallel vertical surface 272 formed on the forward wall of the glue-pot Q45 and a downward extension or tail-piece 273 of the glue-pot. Between the upper end of the vertical surface 272 of the glue-pot and the bracket 46 of the frame is located a vertical plate 274 that constitutes the upper part of the rear wall of the said discharge chute. If desired, in order to elongate said chute for the purpose set forth, an extension plate 275 may be attached to the lower end of the front wall 271 of said chute, and the rear wall, constituted by the extension 273, correspondingly elongated. Flat springs 276, 277 are applied to the front wall of the chute (Figs. 13, 14, t7 and 18), two springs 276 being located at the upper end of the chute, one at each side of the lower swing; ingwall of the pocket and a single, centrally located, longer spring 277 extending downwardly. The lower ends of said upper, laterally separated springs are turned inwardly, as shown in Fig. 14, and fastened by screws 278 to the top of the bracket 45. The lower elongated sprlng plate 27 7 is likewise turned inwardly at its top and fastened to the said upper end part of the bracket 45 by means of screws 279. The said inturned upper end of the central spring-plate 277 is notched to provide arms that extend one at each side of the standard of the pocket. The said central springplate 277 is shown in Fig. 3 as backed by spiral contractile springs 280 located in the rear face of the front wall of the discharge chute. The purpose of said spring is to impart a yielding pressure on the gums as they are discharged through the chute, thus holding the pasted parts tightly together to facilitate the setting of the paste on the bands, yet without retarding the progress of the gums.

It will be noted by an inspection of Figs. 17 and 18 that when a group of gums is forced into the pocket it carries with it a band and folds the latter on three sides of the group. Thereafter the upper free end of the band is folded downwardly across the rear face of the group and finally the lower end of the band is folded upwardly in overlapping relation to said other end as the group of gums descend into the upper end of the chute, carried by said pocket.

Next referring to the devices for folding the free ends of the bands across the rear sides of the groups, they are made as follows: 285 designates a vertically swinging folding lever (Figs. 2, 3, 17 and 18) that ishinged at its forward end to the 10Cl Sl1tLft 258 to which is fixed the pocket operating arm 257. The said swinging folding lever is provided at its forward end with a flat folding finger 286 which is located just above the discharge chute 258 substantially in the plane of the rear wall of said chute, as clearly shown in Figs. 17 and 18. The said folding lever is normally held in its uppermost position, above the level of the assembling space, as shown in Fig. 17, by means of a lug 287 on the pocket actuating arm 257 which is designed to engage the lower margin of said folding lever. The said parts are so arranged that when the ocket actuating arm is in its uppermost position the folding lever and finger are also in their uppermost positions. A spring 288 is applied to the folding lever to draw the same downwardly when the arm 257 is depressed, said spring being shown as a spiral spring attached at one end to said folding lever and at its other end to a pin 289 of the bracket 45 (Figs. 2 and The general operation of the band applying mechanism thus described may be stated as follows: The group of gums of the prescribed number, five as herein shown, are forced into the pocket by the plunger 177 when the pocket is in the position indicated in Figs. 17 and 18. The p unger remains in the position indicated in Fig. 18 until the pocket carrying frame is depressed to carry the group of gums into the upper part of the discharge chute 258 the cam track 201 of the cam 199 being shaped to produce a proper dwell of the transfer plunger at this time. At the time the group of gums is moved inwardly in the pocket, the band 5 extends across the path of the gums, as slated, and is carried by the gums into the pocket, being thus folded upon the forward and the top and bottom sides of said group. 'lhereafter the arm 257 is depressed to force the pocket downwardly to carry the group of gums contained therein into the upper end of the discharge chute. The first part of the downward swing of the arm 257 has no effect to lower the pocket and its standard because of the fact that the slot of the yoke 255 is vertically wider than the diameter of the pin or lug 256 of said arm. The first effect of swinging said arm 257 downwardly, therefore, is to release the folding lever by depressing the lug 287 of said arm 257 away from the folding lever and allowing the same to be swung downwardly through the action of its spring 288. The downward swing of said folding lever serves to force the folding finger 286 in rear of the group of gums, which is still being held in the pocket at the level of the assembling space, in a manner to fold the upper free end of the band downwardly against the rear face of the group of gums, as shown in Fig. 18. The pusher or plunger head 177 is centrally cut away to form a notch 299, as shown in Fig. 12, to receive the folding finger 286 at this time while the plunger is in its rearniost position, as indicated in Fig. 18. After said pin or lug 256 of the arm 257 strikes the bottom of the slot of said yoke it serves to depress the pocket and the group of gums carried thereby to the position shown in Fig. 19. The folding lever 285 is, however, arrested by engagementof the end of the folding finger with the upper end of the rear wall of the discharge chute, as shown in said Fig. 18. As the said group of gums with the band artially wrapped therearound is moved fiom the position shown in Fig. 18 to that shown in Fig. 19, the upper end of the rear wall of the discharge chute serves to fold the lower free end band upwardly against the rear face of the packa e in overlapping relation to the previous y folded end. \Vhile the band is in the position shown in Fig. 17 paste is ap lied to the rear face of the lower end thereo in a manner hereinafter to be described, so that as said last folded end of the band is folded upwardly in overlap ing relation to the first folded end thereof, t 1e paste bearing face of the band engages the outer face of the first folded end, whereby said ends of the band are pasted together.

The means for releasing the groups of gums from the pocket after they reached the position indicated in Fig. 19 is embraced in the construction wherein the lower wall 251 of said pocket is a swinging wall combined y with means for holding the groups of gums down while the pocket raises. Such latter means comprises two spring actuated stop rods 310, 310 located in front of said discharge chute and attached to the bracket ite) by means of screws 311. The rods are formed at their upper ends to provide horizontal rearwardly extending parts 312 coni stituting downwardly facing stop shoulders and upwardly and forwardly inclined parts 313. The said inclined upper ends of said holding rods are so arranged as to permit the gums to pass downwardly into the discharge chute, the rods springing backwardly at this time, as indicated in Fig. 19. After the group of gums has passed below the level of the horizontal or shouldered parts of the rods, said rod springs inwardly to the position indicated in Fig. 20, so as to hold the gums from rising when the pocket and its frame are again raised to the level of the assembling space 157. As the pocket is raised, the lower wall thereof swings downwardly to clear the group of gums, as indicated in Fig. 20, thereby permitting the pocket and its frame to move upwardly to the level of the assembling space. After i the lower wall has passed the level of the i group of gums just deposited in the dis charge chute the springs 261 serve to swing said lower wall of the pocket into its uppermost position, in which position it is arrested by contact with the lower margin of the backing plate 264 of the pocket. The pocket is now in the position shown in Fig. i 17, and is ready to receive another group of gums. The forcing of successive groups of gums into the upper end of the discharge chute serves to gradually advance the said groups through the discharge chute, the i groups or packages bein thus intermittently i moved through the disc arge chute. The mechanism for actuating the rockshaft 258 to effect the swinging of the pocket operating arm is shown more clearly in Figs. 1, 13 and 21, and is made as follows: 300 designates a cam which is fixed to the shaft 198 at one side of the plunger operating cam 199". 301 designates a swinging cam arm that is fixed to the inner end of the rock-shaft 258. The cam operates to swing said arm 301 rearwardly and the pocket frame upwardly, and the pocket is depressed through the medium of a spring 302 applied to the rock-shaft 258, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, said spring 302 comprisin a spiral contractile spring that is attached at one end to an arm or lug 303 of the said rock-shaft and at its other end to a stationary part of the machine frame. The periphery of the cam is divided into a risin or splral portion extending between the points e e, a concentric portion extending between the points e e, a sharply descending portion extending between the points 0 c, and a short concentric portion extending between the points c" and a. The cam arm 301 is provided with two points of contact with the cam, embracing two antifriction rollers 304;, 305. During the time the contacting point of the cam arm engages the concentric portion of the cam from the points 0 to (1*, the gum receiving pocket remains in its uppermost position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 21 and in full lines in Fig. 17, the said parts being thus held in their uppermost position by the positive action of the cam. During the time the contacting part of the lever is passing from the points 0 e, the spring 302 is acting through the shaft 258 to depress the pocket actuating arm 257 and to depress the said pocket from the position shown in Fig. 17 to that shown in Fig. 10. The said pocket remains a short time in its de ressed position during the time the engaging part of the cam arm is passing from the point a to c, and the pocket is raised from its lowermost to its upper position during the time the en gaging part of the cam arm is traveling from the points 6 to 0 The roller 304: at the end of the cam arm engages the rising portion of the cam, while the inner roller 305 of said cam arm engages the concentric portion of the cam between the points 6 6 After the point e of the cam passes the outer roller 304, the outer end of the arm projects beyond said point e and the roller 305 is engaged with the cam. When the point e of the cam passes the inner roller 305 the arm drops quickly inwardly toward the center of the cam until the outer roller 30% thereof engages with the lower concentric portion of the cam from the points a c There is thus produced a prompt depression of the gum receiving pocket under the action of the spring 302. It will be noted that at the time the cam arm drops quickly toward the center of the cam, the end of the cam arm beyond the inner roller bridges the space between the point e of the cam and the lower concentric portion thereof, thus allowing the cam arm to pass smoothly from the highest to the lowest point of the cam and without tendency to bring a shock or jar on the parts or tendency of the cam arm to lock the cam, such as might occur if the cam arm were made shorter and adapted for but one point of bearing with the cam.

Referring now to the mechanism for applying paste to the rear face of the lower end of the band while the same is in the position shown in Fig. 17, the same is shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 17, 18, 21 and 23 to 20, inclusive, and is made as follows: The paste-pot 245 is located in rear of the discharge chute 258 and the front wall thereof constitutes the rear wall of said chute, as 

